Per Diem Services, LLC matches highly-qualified, professional freelance attorneys for court appearance and deposition coverage. The firm specializes in providing court appearance coverage in all New York City, State and Jersey counties with one day’s notice.
In the context of law, a Per Diem Services NY refers to a daily allowance paid to some workers, including travel nurses and substitute teachers, who are on temporary or short-term contracts. Many corporations set rates that provide full or partial expense coverage, and some companies issue company credit cards to make it easier for employees to pay expenses on the go.
While the benefit of per diem compensation is clear, it has serious downsides that need to be addressed by firms and courts alike. Those downsides include:
In addition to being costly for the firm, per diem compensation may create negative organizational cultures where employees seek to win as much of a daily allowance as possible and neglect other work tasks or responsibilities that are not associated with an allowance (or to manipulate their work practices to receive higher per diem amounts). Per diem payments also encourage unhealthy work-life balance, often leading to stress and family problems, exacerbated by the lack of stable income and long-term benefits.
Per diem compensation can also contribute to ethical and legal issues. For example, it can encourage lawyers to appear for cases in far-flung places that require long hours on the road. Moreover, per diem payments can lead to conflicts between the firm and its clients, resulting in the firm not being able to honor client obligations.
ABA Rule 1.5(g) requires that a firm obtain client consent to the use of a Per Diem when a fee is marked up. However, there is no such requirement when the mark-up is not involved.
The Per Diem would be billed as an hourly fee to the client, but the Hiring Firm remains attorney of record and all court filings and any appearances are submitted on the Hiring Firm’s behalf. In this situation, the hourly rate of the Per Diem should be disclosed to the client in the initial retainer or through a written notice thereafter.
Per Diem attorneys are seasoned and experienced and have handled thousands of matters in Supreme Court, Civil Court, Small Claims, Landlord-Tenant Court, night court and other jurisdictions throughout the State. They bring a deep understanding of legal procedures, courtroom etiquette and nuances of different practice areas to firms, making them an invaluable resource for law offices. They know how to streamline processes, make recommendations and save firms time, allowing them to focus on their clients’ casework. Using a per diem attorney will free up your time to focus on what really matters – providing the highest quality of service for your clients. Call Per Diem today for more information on how to improve your law firm’s efficiency and profitability. We offer both in-house and virtual trainings. We can also assist you in setting up an efficient litigation support system in house, including a customized online calendar and a centralized database.